LACK OF ENDOGENOUS ESTROGENS EFFECTS ON CIRCULATING ADHESION MOLECULEICAM-1

The serum vascular adhesion molecule ICAM-1 that is involved in athero genesis was determined in fertile, postmenopausal and at term pregnant women, The aim of the study was to ascertain if the antiatherogenic e strogens action may involve this adhesion molecule. The serum ICAM-1 c oncentrations resulted similar in the three groups studied: 331+/-35 n g/ml, 333+/-28 ng/ml and 302+/-53 ng/ml in fertile, postmenopausal and pregnant subjects respectively, despite the very different estrogen p lasma levels. These data, the first on the ICAM-1 serum levels in wome n with different natural hormonal milieu, demonstrate that estrogens a ntiatherogenic action is not involving ICAM-1. (C) 1997, Editrice Kurt is.